sold calves yesterday

bruce2288 · #1 03/28/12, 11:27 AM

These I would normally run over on grass and sell in the fall. At the local salebarn yesterday, they sold about 2000 calves, plus weigh-up cows, some bred cows and pairs.
steers 515lbs/$1.98=$1019.70
steers 414lbs/$2.20=$910.80
It is a good time to own livestock!

allenslabs · #2 03/28/12, 11:47 AM

I should say. We sold our big bull who weighed nearly 1800lbs and we got about a dollar a pound for him. Think it was .97 per pound but still....not what is used to be!

spinandslide · #3 03/28/12, 01:20 PM

Very good!
We are hauling our two calves to the sale in two weeks..cant not take advantage of these prices..

allenslabs · #4 03/28/12, 03:53 PM

I was wrong the bull brought $.995 per lb.
490lb steer brought $1.70lb
505lb heifer brought $1.45lb
That is what they are selling for around here.

nathan104 · #5 03/28/12, 04:53 PM

Prices are insane around here as well. My pastures are knee high but I cant afford to put more cows out there. We sold all but our two best heifers that are 3 months bred now during the winter. Would like to have a dozen to put out there but dont have an extra 18-20K laying around right now.

MO_cows · #6 03/28/12, 06:31 PM

Congrats to the ones who are cashing in! About time, huh?

ErinP · #7 03/28/12, 07:23 PM

I watched plain old, commercial cow/calf pairs sell for $2000 per pair today at our local salebarn.

francismilker · #8 03/29/12, 08:14 AM

I know I'll regret it later, but facing a serious hay shortage last Fall I sold mostly out. In most drought facing situations farmers are faced with supreme losses and have to take what they can get. In these times cattle are so shortaged that I actually made a profit. Next year or two when I get the hankering to get back in I won't be able to afford it on these prices.

spinandslide · #9 03/29/12, 10:53 AM

francis, that is my worry this year..last summer has me seriously gunshy about having hay. We'd normally keep the two calves as feeders..but the potential cost of doing so, if we face a drought again, I wont do. Prices are are high..I will take advantage of such and keep the calf makers (the cows..will have four left)..

Tom in TN · #10 03/31/12, 02:47 PM

I sold four calves in Columbia, TN last Thursday and received the settlement check today. I own a registered Angus bull and have all-black commercial grade cows. My calves are all-black.

The calves are generally around 7 months old when I sell them. They stay on their mommas for 6 months and then I wean them for 1 month before selling them. This batch had a couple of older calves that I hadn't sold in the last batch.

1. 600 pound bull = $1.36

2. 415 pound bull = $1.81

3. 495 pound heifer = $1.51

4. 600 pound heifer = $1.56

Four separate buyers. I have no idea why the 600 pound bull only brought $1.36. Maybe all of the other buyers were out for lunch at the time.

Tom in TN

ramiller5675 · #11 03/31/12, 03:13 PM

Bulls always bring less than steers and the more they weigh the bigger the difference.

Lately with the higher prices, I've noticed that bulls go for about $0.20 less which could be about $100 per head.

Seems like easy money to go out soon after they are calved and band them to get that $100. Even if you had to pay someone a few bucks to come and help hold them down while you banded them, you would still be making money.

CIW · #12 03/31/12, 11:06 PM

Bruce,
Where did you take your calves to?

bruce2288 · #13 04/02/12, 10:48 AM

My calves were sold at Loup City, Nebraska.

CIW · #14 04/02/12, 03:02 PM

Thats proof that sandhills cattle fetch a premium.

Cliff · #15 04/02/12, 04:16 PM

We sold 10 calves last week also - got around the same price bruce did, in middle tn.

Tom in TN · #16 04/02/12, 05:32 PM

Cliff,

Where did you sell your calves? I took mine to the Tennessee Livestock Producers barn in Columbia, TN

Thanks,

Tom in TN

Cliff · #17 04/02/12, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom in TN

Cliff,

Where did you sell your calves? I took mine to the Tennessee Livestock Producers barn in Columbia, TN

Thanks,

Tom in TN

Same - maybe the big buyers were at lunch like you said

Tom in TN · #18 04/02/12, 08:11 PM

Cliff,

Thanks for the quick reponse. Would you mind telling me the sex and general weights of the calves that you sold? I must be doing something wrong and I'd really like to improve.

I have four heifers that I'm going to take in Thursday. They're all black, about 7 months old, vaccinated and weaned, and will average around 450 pounds. If they only bring $1.50 a pound, I really need to find out what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks for any advice you can give to me.

Tom in TN
(Columbia area)

bruce2288 · #19 04/03/12, 08:21 AM

The day I sold heifers were bring 20-25 cents less than steers. Guys would rather put steers in pastures so as not to worry about the neighbors bull. Nebraska has a very good market because of many feedlots and local feed availability, corn and distillers grains.

SCRancher · #20 04/03/12, 01:03 PM

I would imagine although I'm not sure that heifers may bring a good price in the drought improving areas around the South Western/South Central states. I know I'm keeping my 2 heifers that dropped this year - especially since I had to eat one of my brood cows due to non-recovering injury.